Aura of the Stars
by bunnyb
Summary: *Finished* The fate of the world rests on two dreams becoming a reality. Warning, will contain SLASH.
1. Chapters One and Two

Title: Aura Of The Stars  
  
Author: *bunnyb*  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of these characters, except Aura Venezia, and the later song lyrics belong to American Hi-Fi  
  
WARNING: This story will contain SLASH. If you do not like it, please do not read it!  
  
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Chapter One: New Girl  
  
The school year had barely started, and it looked as if things would be no different than last. In the midst of a particularly difficult potion, Neville had managed to melt his cauldron, Ron's hair was flaming pink, and if looks could kill, Draco Malfoy would be dead right now, via Harry Potter. Hermione was sighing, and looking at her own potion, perfect of course, which allowed lima beans to dance of their own free will, to the song of a swaying pineapple. Same old, same old.  
  
Well, maybe not quite.  
  
The new girl quietly surveyed the room from her position in the doorway. She had always envisioned the classroom to look like this, but to actually be here, staring it straight in the face . well, it was quite an experience. She eyed the archenemies once again, contemplating her mission. It would not be easy, but she had not won the honor of completing this task by her good looks and charm (though she supposed they hadn't hurt). The class fell silent at last when Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.  
  
"Class, you have a new student today. Please be kind in showing her around the school. I would like you to meet seventh year Aura Venezia. She will room with the Gryffindor house for the duration of the year. I leave the class to you now, Professor Snape." He looked quite menacingly at Aura as Professor McGonagall turned and left the classroom.  
  
Aura watched the expressions on the faces of the other students. Many were surprised or sneering, most likely because of the fact that she was a seventh year like them, but it was her first year at Hogwarts. Or maybe it was just her clothes. Aura didn't know how much experience these kids had with Muggle clothes, but she'd bet they'd never seen platforms that big before. Can I help it if I'm vertically challenged? She thought. But there were a few friendly looking faces in the crowd (none of them Slytherin), and among them was Hermione. Since there happened to be an empty seat next to her, Aura sat down there. "Hi!" she said, shyness not being part of her personality.  
  
"Hello. Welcome to Hogwarts," Hermione said amiably. "What wizard school are you originally from?"  
  
"That's a funny question to ask," laughed Aura.  
  
"Why?" asked Hermione, with some confusion. But Aura just laughed again.  
  
Over, the next few days, Hermione got to know her better. Despite her oddities, Hermione discovered that Aura was a very nice girl, and very smart too, but smart in a strange sort of way. She knew anything Hermione asked her about Arithmancy or Astronomy, or any other textbook style question, right away. But when it came to the practical application of magic, Aura really seemed quite clueless. Hermione began to wonder if the girl had ever cast a spell before. Her book smarts however, earned her fairly high marks in her classes, and she appeared to catch on quite quickly.  
  
All hell broke loose the day Malfoy decided that she was to be his new target several weeks later. The first chance he got to display this new feeling came at the end of potions on a Friday, where he "accidentally" spilled his entire cauldron onto her, ruining her platforms.  
  
"Just goes to show you can't wear Muggle shoes in a school made for real wizards," he drawled. Aura decided that it was time to put phase one of her plan into action.  
  
  
  
Chapter Two: Trying to Tame Draco  
  
"Draco Malfoy," she said, looking straight at him, tilting her head to the side. She then looked him up and down, giving him a good once-over. This should be interesting, she thought.  
  
"This isn't a free show, y'know," he said, noticing her sizing him up.  
  
"Oh, I expect for there to be payment!" she exclaimed. "Just not my own." She smiled coyly at him.  
  
Draco looked somewhat infuriated. Generally, new kids did not stand up to him, and they certainly did not talk back.  
  
"Sassy, aren't we?" he shot.  
  
"Sassy, classy, and about to kick your ass-y," she replied, the smile never leaving her face. Draco turned an interesting shade of red, and Aura noticed Harry and Ron giving her an approving glance. Hermione appeared to be too involved in her potion to have noticed, but other students were starting to watch the verbal assault that was now taking place.  
  
"In your dreams, Venezia," he hissed.  
  
"And what's in your dreams, Draco Malfoy? Or should I say, who is in your dreams lately?" her grin turned wicked, and all of the previously added color now drained from Draco's face. "I know who you dream about," she said.  
  
"You don't know anything," he spat. He turned and began to walk out of the classroom. He had not quite reached the door when Aura began to speak again. She had turned to face the classroom, and had begun speaking in a singsong voice, with an almost wicked (yet highly alluring - wait I did not just think that, voiced Draco's inner monologue) gleam in her eye:  
  
"I know why he screams, screams, screams, in his terrifying dreams, by the moonlight's twisting beams, where nothing's as it seems." She then turned to face Draco, where he had frozen halfway to the door.  
  
"I know why you run, run, run, like you'll never see the sun, because you know who is the one, and I vow it's just begun." He slowly turned to face her, fear and hate and something else burning in his eyes.  
  
"I don't know who you think you are, or why you think you know me. Let me clarify something to you. You are nothing and nobody, I'll tell you that, and there is no way some hazel eyed girl is going to get the better of me," suddenly, his fury took over and he swung at her.  
  
Like lightening she had dodged his blow and spun around to come up behind Draco. "It's sweet of you to notice the color of my eyes," she taunted, before promptly disappearing.  
  
"Where's she go?" asked Ron. "I wanted to compliment her style!" He snorted. Draco angrily turned and finally finished the process of storming out that he had begun several minutes ago. 


	2. Chapter Three: To Make a Friend

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of these characters, except Aura Venezia, and the later song lyrics belong to American Hi-Fi  
  
WARNING: This story will contain SLASH. If you do not like it, please do not read it!  
  
AN: I meant for the second part of the first chapter to be chapter two, but it didn't work right, so now chapter two is what would really be chapter three. Sorry about that!  
  
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Now on their own way back to the Gryffindor common room, Harry, Ron and Hermione's conversation once again returned to the scene that had recently transpired in potions.  
  
"Did you see the look on Malfoy's face when she taunted him? Tee hee, I am really starting to like this Aura girl," said Ron.  
  
"I wonder who Malfoy does dream about?" pondered Hermione. "Whoever it is, it certainly seems to frighten him."  
  
"It's probably Pansy Parkinson! That would scare me any day," laughed Ron.  
  
"Hey," began Harry. "Has anyone noticed that, while she may be smart and totally deserves our respect because she managed to annoy Malfoy, Aura is kind of, well, different?"  
  
"I've noticed it as well. It seems like she's had no previous experience with magic. And the way she just disappeared like that! If it wasn't for the fact that I knew it was impossible, I'd say that she Disapparated out of that classroom!" stated Hermione.  
  
"All I know is as soon as I find her, I am definitely shaking that girl's hand!" said Ron.  
  
And he soon got the chance to do just that. For when they entered the Gryffindor common room, they spotted Aura sitting in one of the armchairs, absentmindedly strumming some kind of Muggle instrument.  
  
"It's called a guitar," she said, as if reading Ron's thoughts. "It makes music."  
  
"Oh," he said. "Hey, Aura, can I shake your hand?"  
  
"Hmmm? Why?"  
  
"Anybody who can one-up Draco Malfoy at least deserves a handshake!"  
  
Aura smiled at Ron, and chuckled a little. "You guys are so funny," she said, shaking Ron's hand.  
  
"Aura," began Hermione, "How did you manage to just disappear from the potions classroom, and end up here, in the Gryffindor tower?"  
  
"Magic," she said with a wink.  
  
"But you don't do very much magic," Harry pointed out cautiously.  
  
"I do a lot of magic," replied Aura. "It's just not the kind you're used to."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Hermione. But Aura was cut off by the sudden arrival of Neville, Dean, and Seamus into the common room.  
  
"Aura Venezia! Lady of the hour! Tell me, how did you talk down Draco Malfoy, public enemy number one?" asked Seamus.  
  
"I didn't talk anyone down. I wish you all wouldn't refer to him as if he was the greatest enemy any of you'd ever had," said Aura.  
  
"How can you say that? Didn't you just insult him, and make his face change colors we've never seen before?" Seamus asked.  
  
"Really, I didn't. I just told him I wasn't afraid of him, and that I didn't intend to let him get to me. In fact, I am hoping to get to him, just not in the sense that you mean, Seamus. I don't want to make an enemy of him. I want him to be a friend," replied Aura.  
  
"You want to be his friend?" asked Neville. In the pandemonium of shouted opinions that followed this question, only Harry was able to hear Aura's answer. "I never said that I intended to make him my friend." 


	3. Do You Really Hate Him

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of these characters, except Aura Venezia, and the later song lyrics belong to American Hi-Fi  
  
WARNING: This story will contain SLASH. If you do not like it, please do not read it!  
  
AN: I meant for the second part of the first chapter to be chapter two, but it didn't work right, so now chapter two is what would really be chapter three. Sorry about that!  
  
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The next few weeks were about the same as the previous ones, sans Draco. Whenever Harry, Ron and Hermione were with Aura (which was becoming more and more often these days), Draco tended to avoid them like the plague.  
  
"I wonder if Aura's honestly gotten to him, or if he's just trying to plan something really devious," pondered Ron, as the foursome sat in the common room.  
  
"Knowing Malfoy, it's something devious," replied Harry.  
  
"Have you two always been enemies?" Aura asked him.  
  
"Yes," said Harry. "It has been his mission in life to be as mean as possible to Ron, Hermione and I."  
  
"Have you ever thought that his mission might change? That maybe he isn't mean for the reasons you think he is?" she asked.  
  
Ron snorted. "Of course not. Malfoy hates our guts, and we hate his. Everybody knows he's too uppity for his own good, and would never *dream* of being nice to anyone."  
  
"Do you really all hate him so much? Do you really believe his hatred of all of you is what motivates him?" she asked, sounding almost sad. Ron and Hermione nodded energetically, but Aura noticed that Harry's agreement was not quite as enthusiastic.  
  
In fact, Harry looked downright unconvinced. Switching around her chair to be next to Harry, Aura leaned over and quietly asked her question again. Ron and Hermione, now engaged in a debate of their own (Aura inwardly grinned and briefly contemplated what their lover's quarrels might one day be like), did not notice as she pressed Harry to offer an answer of his own.  
  
"You don't really hate him, do you?" Aura asked, studying his face. His lanky form shifted uncomfortably in the armchair. She watched the deep green eyes shift back and forth from the reality of her, with her long, strawberry blonde hair and misty eyes, to what she was sure was the image of another blonde, this one with eyes of steel. "You also don't believe that he really hates you." This time, not a question.  
  
Harry was silent for a long time. He had noticed Aura studying him, almost as if she could see through him. He shivered a little, thinking about the possibility that she might know how confused he really was. Of course, he could never admit to the feeling that there was something about Draco . No, there was nothing there, he insisted to himself. Nothing special at all about that hair, those eyes, the muscled flyer's body . Stop it Harry! He commanded himself. Stop thinking about such nonsense.  
  
"What if it isn't nonsense? What if the contemplation is mutual?" Aura asked him suddenly.  
  
"What!?" Harry asked. "What are you talking about?" he asked nervously. How could she possibly know? he thought wildly.  
  
"Harry, if I asked you who you dreamt about, what would you tell me?"  
  
Harry did not answer, but the lost look on his face was enough for Aura. Although he might not admit it yet, she knew whom Harry dreamt about. She knew whom they all dreamt about, late at night, when they thought no one would know. But nothing as mere as thoughts could be kept secret when a war was approaching. 


	4. Monkey Business

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of these characters, except Aura Venezia, and the later song lyrics belong to American Hi-Fi  
  
WARNING: This story will contain SLASH. If you do not like it, please do not read it!  
  
A/N: Thanks again to EG and AA, and to Em: can you spot my recurring theme? Mandé, I know yours is fuschia, but mine is a little more . primate like. Anway, thanks for the ideas.  
  
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Friday afternoon double potions arrived again, but Professor Snape did not. The students took advantage of this time to antagonize one another. Aura noted that an interesting game of catch had begun, involving Bohemian monkeys and something else that looked decidedly disgusting and squishy. Whatever it was, it was getting everywhere, and it would certainly be a pain to clean up.  
  
While the two sides of the game were Slytherin and Gryffindor, she noted that there was at least one student on each side that seemed rather reluctant to partake. Those students were Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.  
  
Aura turned her observation to Harry first, who seemed completely lost in thought, and by the look on his face, completely confused as well. Her guess was that he was thinking about the same person he dreamed about. Aura wished that she could offer more counsel to him, but she knew that the less she interfered, the better. More natural equaled more powerful, and she knew that nothing less than the most of what both of them could give would be enough. She gave a small sigh, and then looked to Draco.  
  
He was a little more of a problem. Aura had thought that the best way to get through to him would be to show that she was equally clever, but it seemed that Draco was unprepared to deal with a female intellectual equal (at least, when it came to being a smart mouth). She had meant to win his trust, so that way, when the time came, he would be more likely to believe her when she told him what he needed to do .  
  
She sighed again. How could fate have been so twisted as to make them the ultimate enemies? How could they ever learn to trust one another when, from the beginning, their relationship had been based on lies? Speaking of lies, she reflected grimly, when would the two of them stop lying to themselves? Maybe if they had not always been enemies, they would be more willing to accept their feelings, and less likely to doubt the possibility that they might be .  
  
"Aura? Hey, Earth to Aura!" she heard Ron's voice in her ear.  
  
"Huh? What?" she asked, still not quite free of her thoughts.  
  
"You look like the fate of the world has just been dropped on your shoulders," he chuckled, but he stopped laughing when he heard her reply.  
  
"My eyes see the world. It's no surprise my shoulders bear its fate," she said.  
  
Ron had been just about to ask her what in Merlin's name she meant by that, when Snape stormed into the room, looking particularly upset. When he saw the mess that had been made in the classroom, he got even angrier, and promptly gave the entire class a detention. Amidst the seething emotion spreading quickly throughout the room, Ron soon forgot what Aura had said, and she was once again left alone to contemplate the aforementioned fate. 


	5. Detention

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of these characters, except Aura Venezia, and the later song lyrics belong to American Hi-Fi  
  
WARNING: This story will contain SLASH. If you do not like it, please do not read it!  
  
Especially this chapter! This is why my sister wouldn't let me rate it PG.  
  
A/N: Thanks again, Emmy and Mandé for everything (namely, reading this). I dedicate this chapter to you two. Hey Mandé, I've actually learned something from King Lear: most people probably already knew this, but there is a star constellation called Draco, and it's pictured as a dragon. Cool! Also, this is as close to a "flesh fest" as I intend to get - as you'll note, it is not very close at all. Tee hee.  
  
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Later that evening, the entire class sat in detention. Snape was not there, but he had locked everything in sight, and everyone knew he was right down the hall, so fun was out of the question. That is of course, until Aura's guitar suddenly appeared in her hand.  
  
"How did you get that down here?" asked Hermione.  
  
Instead of answering however, Aura began to play. She was really quite nervous, for this could end quite badly, but she needed to take a chance. The time was very rapidly approaching when the ultimate duel with Lord Voldemort would take place, and she knew that the sooner things really started in motion, the better. She began to sing a song whose lyrics and melody belonged to a Muggle band called American Hi-Fi, but the magic behind the song was all her own.  
  
"Don't wait for the sun  
  
It could turn black any day  
  
I lost my head in the clouds  
  
When will this haze go away?  
  
I never wanted this"  
  
The song was very slow, and it lulled the students into a state of quasi-consciousness. Aura then placed the guitar on a chair, where it continued to play on its own. She then began to move about the room, standing up any student that wasn't standing up already. The spell the music had placed on them prevented them from arguing with her. She then picked up Harry, and slowly began to dance with him to the song. Other students began to copy her. Ron danced with Hermione, and Dean danced with Lavender. Unsure of what Seamus and Neville were trying to do, she danced Harry over to where Draco still stood, alone. With one quick twirl, she had let go of Harry and forced him into Draco. They placed their arms around one another, letting the rhythm and the spell wash over them. Their eyes never left each other, and while they swayed they each pulled the other closer. Harry's hand moved up into Draco's hair, running his fingers through it, while the other hand rested on the small of Draco's back. Draco's eyes closed, and he leaned himself onto Harry's slightly taller frame. Harry pressed his face gently against Draco's. Cheek to cheek they danced, until Draco pulled back a little to look into Harry's eyes. Slowly, slowly, he tilted his head back and brought his face closer. Harry leaned forward as well, catching Draco's lips with his own as they continued to move to the music. The kiss deepened and they both closed their eyes again, surrendering to the thrill of the taste of each other's tongue.  
  
Satisfied for the moment, Aura whispered a few more song lyrics into each of their ears, in the hopes of encouraging them further once the spell wore off.  
  
"Don't it make you hurt don't it make you feel  
  
Like the world ain't on your side  
  
Like you're never gonna get it right  
  
No I can't fight  
  
I can't sleep at night  
  
Just thinkin' about you  
  
I'm a fool for you"  
  
Hopefully they would get the subliminal message, and would soon realize their true feelings. Time was running out. 


	6. Post-Detention

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of these characters, except Aura Venezia, and the later song lyrics belong to American Hi-Fi  
  
WARNING: This story will contain SLASH. If you do not like it, please do not read it!  
  
AN: I hereby dedicate the whole story to Emily and Mandé, who encouraged (*cough* threatened *cough*) me to continue with my short stray from humor.  
  
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The students all woke in their beds the next morning, knowing nothing more than that they'd all had strange dreams last night.  
  
The common room was abuzz with news of the upcoming Christmas holiday. Everybody seemed overjoyed at the prospect of going home tomorrow. Except of course, for Harry. Aura sensed however, that his lack of joy was not because he was not going home. She drew her chair over to where he sat. "Knut for your thoughts," she said.  
  
"Aura, you don't seem to need for me to tell you my thoughts for you to know what I'm thinking," he replied, seeming to be angry. But then he sighed and turned to face her.  
  
"I don't know what you did, but I know you've done something. Don't give me that look," he said, as she began a mock-protest.  
  
"You know as well as I do who I dream about. I assume you know as well as I how I really feel about him."  
  
"Will you tell me anyway?" asked Aura.  
  
"Only if you will tell me why you are doing what you have done," he replied.  
  
"I'm sorry, Harry," she replied. "But seeing as I do know what you're going to tell me, it just is not a fair enough trade."  
  
"Well then, would you tell me who you really are then?" asked Harry.  
  
"You don't think I am who I say I am?" she asked, grinning.  
  
"No, I don't. Who are you?"  
  
"You'll find out soon enough. Take a walk with me, Harry?"  
  
In the Slytherin common room, a much more chaotic scene was pictured. Somehow, somehow, someone had managed to get inside the classroom with a camera. Colin Creevey was the most likely candidate. The pandemonium that followed could only have been topped if Voldemort himself had fallen out of the sky with a hit list and his wand drawn.  
  
The best part of it was, no one knew whether they should believe it or not. Sure, they had a vague feeling that something had happened in that detention, but nobody really remembered what. Surely it hadn't been Draco Malfoy kissing Harry Potter.  
  
"Well, it's a damn good forgery if I've ever seen one," said Blaise Zabini.  
  
"Oooo, look! You can almost see their tongues moving!" guffawed Pansy Parkinson.  
  
"Give that to me!" thundered Draco, trying to grab the picture out of her hands.  
  
Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle sat, and watched, and laughed until they thought they might cry as Draco chased Pansy around the room, trying to get the picture back so he could tear it up.  
  
Finally Draco just gave up and cried "Accio picture!" The picture wrenched itself from Pansy's hands and flew into Draco's, where he promptly ripped it to shreds.  
  
"Aww, why'd you have to go and ruin all the fun?" she moaned.  
  
With the laughter of the others still ringing in his ears, Draco stormed out of the common room. He didn't understand why he remembered what happened that night, or worse, why he had enjoyed it. He only knew that he needed to find Aura Venezia, and he needed to find her right now. 


	7. Confrontation

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of these characters, except Aura Venezia, and the later song lyrics belong to American Hi-Fi  
  
WARNING: This story will contain SLASH. Male/male relationship in the form of Draco and Harry. For goodness' sake, if you do not like it, please do not read it!  
  
A/N: This is just a shout out to any potential flamers: If you're into trashing my story, rock on, because thanx to Mandé I have realized what an honor it is to get under someone's skin like that, but please do not insult anyone who reviewed this story and actually likes it. That's not a review, that's just rude.  
  
Hi to Laura and Kristen if you guys are reading this, and haven't been freaked out enough to disown me as a friend. All you guys, Lo, Em, Mandé, you guys are the best! Thanx for reading!  
  
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Aura and Harry left the Gryffindor common room, and began to wander through the hallways.  
  
"Tell me who you are?" Harry asked again.  
  
"Harry, I somehow doubt you would believe me if I told you," she sighed.  
  
"Why don't you try me?"  
  
"I can't interfere with your life any more than I have to. I wasn't even going to do that spell with the music, but time is running out, Harry!" she cried.  
  
Harry had been just about to ask her what she meant by a spell with music when they turned a corner and ran straight into Draco. He was just standing there, looking like he was in some form of shock. Evidently, he had heard their conversation.  
  
"Oh dear, I'm in trouble now," moaned Aura. "I know I'm young, but I thought I could handle it!" she sobbed, to no one in particular.  
  
"Explain what you meant by that last sentence, Venezia," said Draco.  
  
"You leave Aura alone, Malfoy," said Harry.  
  
"Don't you wonder Potter, why she's here? I know I sure do. And I want to know why she cast that spell on us in detention!"  
  
"What spell are you talking about? Go away," he said, without actually looking at Draco. Aura noticed this, and a new hope arose from Harry's lack of conviction. Maybe she could still save them, so they could save the world.  
  
Harry had evidently noticed her watching him. "Aura, will you please tell me what's going on?"  
  
Aura looked from the dark haired boy to the blonde. She then faced them both and took a deep breath.  
  
"I am not supposed to interfere with the two of your lives any more than is absolutely necessary. I was not planning to interfere at all, but time is running out for the two of you. The greatest battle of your lives is approaching, and the two of you are not prepared to fight it! You need to stop fighting yourselves first! Give in to the inner emotion you know is true, before it's too late," Aura finished quietly.  
  
Harry looked at her, with her head now lowered, and something inside him clicked. The dreams he was having about Draco were more than just idle fantasy. It was destiny. It could never be though! He thought. There is no way Draco could ever feel the same way .  
  
Draco looked from Aura, who looked strangely defiant, when he would have expected her to look defeated, to Harry, who was still looking at Aura. Oh, how he wished that jade green gaze would turn to him! But no matter what spells Aura might try to cast, he knew none would be powerful enough to make Harry reciprocate the feelings he had.  
  
Aura looked at the floor, her mind begging them to simply reveal the truth. She could do nothing more for them. If they did not realize each other's love on their own, if she forced them to say what they could not, the world would come to an end. If Draco and Harry could not come together of their own free wills, to combine their powers through mutual love and trust, Voldemort would never be defeated. The fact that he was to arrive the day the Christmas holiday began did not help either . 


	8. Confession

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of these characters, except Aura Venezia, and the later song lyrics belong to American Hi-Fi  
  
WARNING: This story will contain SLASH. Male/male relationship in the form of Draco and Harry. For goodness' sake, if you do not like it, please do not read it!  
  
A/N: Hi again and thanks to those of you who are actually reading this. I did spend a lot of time on it, even though I put up my chapters in relatively quick succession (which just goes to show how little life I really have), but anyway, here comes the big confession scene. I hope my readers (who basically include Em and Mandé - thanks guys, you're the best) enjoy it.  
  
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Time passed by, but the seconds felt like hours, and the minutes felt like years. Aura shifted from one foot to the other, but Harry and Draco remained stock-still. Draco was still watching Harry, and Harry was still watching her. Aura wondered what he was waiting for. She had already told him that she planned on playing as small of a role as possible, and she hoped he was not planning on waiting for some kind of signal from her. He needed to tell Draco how he felt without her encouragement. The more natural, the more powerful, she repeated to herself. You don't need to involve yourself in things any more than you already have! Having realized this, Aura thought it might be best if she just left the two of them alone. Maybe they would get the Muggle-loving hint, she thought.  
  
Harry was still watching Aura when, all of a sudden, he blinked, and she was gone. Her disappearance startled him, and he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.  
  
Harry's motion was enough to break Draco out of his reverie. He straightened himself, and stood with his hands clasped in front of him. Slowly, Harry turned his head from the spot where Aura had been standing to where Draco was currently still standing.  
  
They watched each other for a long minute. Finally, Draco spoke.  
  
"I don't know what happened in detention the other day, but I-" he was, however, suddenly cut off by Harry.  
  
"Why does everyone keep bringing up that detention? Sure, I had a, well, uh, interesting dream afterwards," he said, reluctant to tell Draco how he had dreamed about dancing with him, "but I don't remember anything in particular about the detention itself."  
  
Draco again cursed the fates that made it so no one but he remembered that afternoon. He then found another reason to swear. If only he hadn't torn up that picture, then maybe he could show Harry what really happened. But do I want to do that? He asked. Would Harry believe it was real anyways? Was it real, if we were only under a spell? Would he think I tried to fake the picture, and would he learn how I really feel? If only I knew how he felt! But then, like the flash of lightning (or maybe it was the divine presence of a lightning scar), Draco reflected on the first part of what Harry had said.  
  
"What was it you dreamt about, Harry?" he asked, his voice quavering slightly.  
  
The question caught Harry off-guard. He had been ready to argue, or fight with Draco, but he certainly wasn't ready to analyze his dreams with him. Besides, if Draco knew he had dreamed about being in his arms, kissing him, the consequences would be unimaginable. So instead of replying, he asked a question of his own.  
  
"Who is it you dream about, Draco?"  
  
The Slytherin boy was equally unprepared to answer. Both asked questions hung in the air like anvils, waiting to drop. Neither one could answer a question, or look at the other. Another year of a minute passed before Harry decided that he'd had enough. The stress was killing him, and goodness only knew what Aura had really meant, but to him, it was like she was telling him to realize the truth of his emotions, and inform Draco of them. While this was possibly the most terrifying thing he had ever done, it was less scary than the thought of what the greatest battle of his life might be like if he wasn't ready to fight it.  
  
"I dreamed about detention," he said, the sound of his voice startling both of them. Draco's eyes once again turned to Harry with obvious interest, and not so obvious worry, so Harry continued.  
  
"About what happened in detention."  
  
"What did happen?" Draco asked, his voice scarcely above a whisper.  
  
"I was dancing," Harry continued.  
  
"With who?"  
  
Harry did not know if he could really bring himself to say it. But in a final mad rush before his confidence left him completely, Harry burst out: "I was dancing with and kissing you! And I liked it!"  
  
Harry instantly squeezed his eyes shut, so he missed the look of relief and hope that flooded Draco's face. When Harry realized that no cruel laughter or merciless taunting had followed his declaration, he decided to risk opening his eyes. He did so to find that Draco was now standing right next to him. The blonde leaned in slowly, to gently kiss Harry's lips, before pulling back to whisper in his ear: "I dream about you, Harry Potter." 


	9. Conclusion (oh, I'm soooo creative with ...

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of these characters, except Aura Venezia, and the later song lyrics belong to American Hi-Fi  
  
WARNING: Slash. Harry/Draco. Can't handle it? Then you really should have stopped reading this story a long time ago.  
  
A/N: Here come my final thanks, for this final chapter, finally: To Em and Mandé, who were readers from the beginning, and actually kept on reading, thank you SO SO SO much, to Laura who either did not read past the first two chapters or read it, was horrified, and decided to pretend that she hadn't read it, rather then tell me what she really thought (thank you for not destroying my self esteem if this is the case, Lo), or who read it, liked it, and has simply yet to tell me what she thought of my later chapters, to Becka who at least at some point read some part of my story, and to my Pie, my editor, rater, and sister extraordinaire. Thank you all so much.  
  
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Hermione finally had to ask Aura to stop pacing around the common room. It was distracting her from her studies.  
  
"I'm sorry, I can't!" Aura exclaimed. "If the fate of the world rested on you getting two people together, wouldn't you be a little antsy?"  
  
"What on earth are you talking about?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Oh, I-" but she was cut off by the sudden entrance of an owl into the common room. It promptly dropped a letter on Aura's head. "Oww. What's this?" she asked aloud, while picking up the letter. But her confusion soon abated when she recognized Harry's handwriting on the envelope. She quickly tore it open to uncover a letter asking her to meet him in a nearby classroom.  
  
Without another word to the still-confused Hermione, Aura dashed out the portrait hole and down the hall. She ran all the way to the classroom. Once she located it, she opened to door to see Harry and Draco seated next to another, involved in some kind of discussion. They stopped when they spotted her however, and a large grin broke out on each of their faces. "Aura Venezia, lady of the hour," said Harry, repeating Seamus' earlier greeting.  
  
"Hardly," she smiled. "I see you two have worked things out," she said, feeling better than she had in eons.  
  
Draco took Harry's hand, and the two briefly smiled at each other before turning back to Aura. "We know we owe our newfound happiness to you, and we'd never dream of asking anything more of you since you've given us each other already, but we'd like to know who you really are, and why you're really doing this," said Draco.  
  
"Well," began Aura. "I suppose it's only fair that I offer some knowledge of myself, seeing as my mission has been accomplished." The wizards smiled again, offering more proof to Aura that she had finished what she so desperately needed to.  
  
"I don't expect you to understand who I really am, so it's best to say that I am an emissary from the stars. While I am young, I was selected to complete this mission by the Constellation Federation. We are an organization that seeks to prevent tragedies of the future by altering the present.  
  
"The great Seers of our society have prophesied the end of the earth and all of its inhabitants due to the new uprising of Lord Voldemort," Draco flinched at the name, but Harry looked fascinated.  
  
"We knew that there must be a way to prevent the destruction of the earth, so we searched until we found the answer. It came in the form of the power of not one wizard, but two," continued Aura.  
  
"Draco and myself," said Harry.  
  
"Right. The Federation knew that the powers of just one of you would never be enough, but combined you have the chance of defeating the Dark Lord. Enemies from the start, our leaders knew your true feelings would never come about in time, so they sent me to ensure that it happened. So now, I leave the fate of the world to the two of you."  
  
"Wow," breathed Draco.  
  
"I second that," said Harry. "Not that I knew that a final confrontation wouldn't take place, but I never imagined it would be with someone so darn attractive at my side". Draco could not help but smile at this, and Aura smiled with him.  
  
"I know the two of you will be able to defeat Voldemort," she said.  
  
"Because of you," added Harry.  
  
"I hope not!" she said. "The less I interfere, the stronger you two are. But maybe I did help a little." she grinned.  
  
"So what happens now?" asked Draco.  
  
"Well, I think I know what will happen between the two of you," she laughed. "As for me, I'll go back to the Federation. I'll miss this place," she added wistfully.  
  
"We'll miss you too," said Harry.  
  
"You never even got to kick my ass, " said Draco somberly, and they all laughed again.  
  
"Well, at least I got to see Hermione make a lima bean dance to a singing pineapple." And with a last chuckle, Draco and Harry said their final goodbye to Aura Venezia, emissary of the stars.  
  
They then looked to each other and knew that together, they could defeat anything. And they had a sassy, platform wearing strawberry blonde to thank for it.  
  
The End.  
  
A/N: Sorry if it got too sappy at the end, I guess I'm just a hopeful romantic at heart. Anyway, I hope my readers liked it! Thank you for reading. Okay, I'm done now. :) 


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